Little Teacups
by saminalcrackers
Summary: With the departure of Willow and Xander after Graduation Day, Buffy is thrust into college life with no friends or old allies. Meanwhile, a newly penniless Cordelia Chase is doing the same, and reluctant roommates build a new friendship as the landscape changes for them both in a re-imagined Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
1. The Freshman pt 1

"Why don't you try 'The Introduction to the Modern Novel?'"

"Okay, Will, I know I asked you to help me pick courses, but that was when I thought you might actually help."

"Well you're cattier than usual. Are you still mad about me moving away?"

"No," Buffy starts, "Well, yes. I mean a little bit. I don't know. It's just… ever since you told me you got into UC Sunnydale I thought we would go together. I'm just not sure how great I'm feeling about starting over again." She's had two 'first days of high school.' She should be prepared because of all her training with scary firsts, but she doesn't feel it at all. Buffy looks from Willow to the bags on the floor. "That's a lot of stuff. Do you really need all that stuff?"

"New York is far, and my mom doesn't want to have to send me a bunch of things if I forget them, so she kind of packed up my whole room."

It's true. The room Buffy had slept in many times had become simply empty. _It's surprising Mrs. Rosenberg even kept the fish tank, _the Slayer thinks as she takes in one final scan, _Though it'll probably be gone the second she gets home._

"Look there's no way I'll be able to nail down my schedule tonight. Not when tomorrow you… you…" She knows Willow can see the tears forming in her eyes, and she doesn't care. Buffy and Willow reach for each other at the same time, and are sobbing into each other's hair when Willow's mom pokes her head in.

"Willow, it's getting late. We have an early start tomorrow; I think it's time for Bunny to go home," she says before quickly walking back to her office.

"It's Bu—" Willow begins before realizing, just as it had been hundreds of times before, it was a lost cause. Willow turns to Buffy and says "Well let me walk you to the door."

The girls walk side-by-side through the house to the front door. _Everything looks different_, Buffy thinks. Even though she knows Willow would be back home for her winter break and again in summer, it feels like the last time she will ever see the inside of her best friend's house. Buffy is seeing everything through a lens of finality recently, which is probably why nothing seemed familiar. She knows she will never see a lot of things ever again. High school; Willow, not the same way again; or Xander.

Xander died protecting a group of parents during the Mayor's ascension. One moment, Buffy had glanced his way across the battlefield, and she had been so proud of him. The next time she'd looked over, he had fangs in his neck. Xander had fought bravely to save the world, and she wouldn't be forgetting his sacrifice any time soon. However, the wounds were still fresh.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Willow asks as they stop in front of the door, knowing exactly what her friend is thinking about.

"No," Buffy says while wiping away a tear, "That would be a terrible way to send you off. Will, have a great time in New York. Make sure you call me once a week with all things news-y. I don't want to lose you." _I can't lose you too._

"Hey, you think I want to leave Sunnydale?"

"Well you did pick NYU," Buffy says matter-of-factly.

"Buffy, it's New York. I have told you so many times about the witches there. They could really help me with this magic stuff. Not to mention, it's one of the best schools in the country. I know you're going through a lot right now, but so am I!" Willow stops once she realizes just how angry she had become, "Look I don't want to fight with you. Not again."

"See you in December, Willow."

The girls hug one more time. This one is a lot shorter and has much less feeling behind it. Willow says nothing while Buffy walks out into the warm August night. Buffy hears the lock click into place, and her heart sinks even further.

When Buffy reaches the corner she would normally turn to walk home, she instead continues walking forward, to a nearby cemetery. It had been a pretty boring summer. Sure, vamps to slay, and people to save, but nothing too major since graduation. Graduation. Xander. Everything Buffy does reminds her of her dead friend. They had patrolled this cemetery just a few months ago. She always heard "Things change when you go to college," but Buffy doubts this is what people meant.

Suddenly, movement.

She feels it more than she hears it. Buffy whips around, and sure enough, a man had been following her. From the distance, he looks like… well no, he left too. Her high school boyfriend, and first love, Angel had moved away right after graduation. Buffy had felt a bit estranged from Willow ever since she decided not to remain in Sunnydale, or even California, or even on the same coast! So with her boyfriend gone, Xander dead, and her interactions with Willow becoming more and more tense, the summer had left her little to do other than reflect. Reflect and mope.

"Are we gonna do this?" Buffy taunts, "I have a big day tomorrow, and I'd like to get in my full eight hours."

The man in the shadows looks surprised. Buffy smiles as he begins to run toward her. She hardly braces herself as the vampire reaches out to grab her. Buffy bends slightly, and buries her elbow deep into his stomach. Almost immediately, the man is lying on the floor, gasping for breath he doesn't need. He isn't gasping for too long, as he is dust before he can inhale twice.

Buffy checks her watch and says in soliloquy, "If I'm drowsy in the morning, I'm blaming you."

Early the next morning, Joyce drops Buffy off on campus, and helps her get all settled.

Joyce is about to leave when she says, "Are you going to be okay?"

"Mom, I'm fine, I promise."

"I just worry about you, Buffy… a lot is changing right now, and I want you to know you can always call me if you need something. Or even just to talk. Do you know that, Buffy? I know you think I'm trying to keep you from growing up, but I just want you to feel like you still have someone. Someth—"

"Mom," Buffy says without knowing how to finish the sentence, "Thank you."

The Summers women hug one final time. Joyce reminds Buffy how few bus stops are between campus and the house another time, and then leaves. A moment passes, and Buffy feels truly alone.

She had seen fliers for an involvement fair happening today, so she walks around campus for a while, trying to find wherever people were the loudest. It seems like Buffy can't walk more than two steps in this crowd without having a new stack of papers in her hands, all talking about a different issue, or party, or sale. She walks, almost deliriously, through the crowd of people without really taking note of anyone in particular, until she does. She sees a familiar face, but it takes a few seconds to place it.

"Anya?"

Buffy had never really warmed up to the blunt ex-demon, and seeing her now brings back painful memories of prom, but someone familiar is better than no one at all.

"Buffy? Why are you here?"

_There's that lack of manners_, Buffy thinks, but finds it comforting rather than annoying, "First day. You too?"

"Me? _More_ school? Not likely. I had to get a job to pay for human living, so today I'm handing out fliers," Anya says, taking Buffy's stack of papers, and handing back one of her own. It's an advertisement for a diner near Buffy's dorm called _Benny's_.

Before Buffy can say anything else, two boys approached Anya's table, "Give us your money," she says while shoving fliers their way. The boys leave immediately.

Buffy laughs, "You might want to try a different tactic."

"Hey, I'm the one with the job. I'm a professional now who doesn't need people like you telling me what to do," Anya doesn't even seem that heated, she's just saying exactly what she's thinking.

"I'll leave you to it then. Bye, Anya," Buffy leaves the involvement fair, and heads back to her dorm. When she gets to her room, the door is unlocked. _The roommate arrives,_ Buffy thinks.

She pushes open the door saying, "Hi, I'm Bu—" but stops halfway through. Buffy sees the large 'C' hanging on the wall, and the cross-armed brunette standing in the middle of the room.

"Buffy!? Of. Course," says a noticeably enraged Cordelia Chase.


	2. The Freshman pt 2

She has been on the phone for about two hours.

"Okay, but you don't understand, I can't room with _Buffy Summers_," Cordelia Chase is not a quitter. She doesn't give up.

"Actually Cordy, by this point I think they understand," says Buffy, lying on her bed with her eyes closed, "I know this isn't what the queen wants, but it sounds to me like there's no other room for you to move to."

"Listen, I didn't work my ass off all summer to get here just to room with you," Cordelia says fuming.

"Why don't your parents just pay for an apartment?"

"I am becoming a more independent person. I don't need their money. New year, new school, new me, y'know? Look, whatever, I have a life to live," Cordelia says while walking out the door.

Cordy pulls out her phone while she walks down the hallway, and tries to think of whom she can call. Most of her friends had dumped her when she confided in them about her dad's finances. Even her ex-boyfriend is gone. Died actually. Sure they had been broken up when it happened, but Cordelia had thought they might… Especially after prom… _Everyone is leaving me behind_, Cordelia thinks, _And here I am, living with Buffy Summers._ Cordelia frowns, but holds back a tear.

"H-Hi are y-y-you okay?" asks an extremely quiet voice.

Cordelia glances to one side to see a girl she's never seen before peaking out her doorway, "Um. Yes," Cordy dismisses, and keeps walking. _Really, Cordy? The first person to reach out to you in months, and you toss her aside?_

Cordelia spins around, walks back to a now closed door, and knocks. After the flash of light in the peephole is covered for a few seconds, Cordelia hears the lock switch open. The girl pokes out once more.

"Hi. I'm Cordelia Chase. Sorry I was so rude before. It's been a whirlwind day. Actually it's been quite the couple of months," Cordelia says while walking into the new girl's room, "No, you know when all this started? Sophomore year of high school. That girl came into my life, mixed things around, and she's still mixing! God, she's a real piece of work. I guess since we're floormates you'll eventually meet her as well. Oh, yeah, did I mention I'm living with her? Someone must have thought it'd be hilarious to put us together. Some cosmic whosit come down to mess with my life! AGAIN," Cordelia had been sitting on the girl's bed for most of her spiel.

"T-T-T-Tara. Maclay. Nice t-to meet you," the blonde says, extending a hand, which Cordelia accepted while smiling, "Would you like s-s-some tea?" Tara sits down next to Cordelia.

"Oh, no, I'm fine… but thank you. Have you ever had someone like that in your life? Someone who's at your every turn messing around with your life?"

"Well yes act—"

"Someone who you thought might have actually been cool when you first met her—she was from LA. How could she not be? Then she starts to hang with all the wrong people and, gosh, you actually even start to pity her, really. We really could have been friends, in a totally and completely different situation."

Tara looks extremely confused, and why shouldn't she? It sounds to her like there's three years of back-story she's missing out on. Add that to the fact that this is the first person outside her family she's spoken with in a few years, and it's all stressing her out quite a bit, but Tara would like to help.

"Sorry for the total lifedump. I can see you're busy with... with tea! So I'll just get out of your way. Tara, right?" Cordelia says while moving toward the exit, _Way to go Cordy, scaring off a really nice girl._

"Yes. Yes my name is Tara, b-but you don't have to g-g-go."

Cordelia stops and smiles, "Thank you."

"S-so why don't you start from the b-beginning? S-sophomore year, you said?" Tara is actually doing it, or at least she's hoping. She's making a friend.

Cordelia and Tara stay up half the night talking, well, Cordelia's talking; Tara's interjecting here and there in a supportive tone. Eventually Cordy did take that cup of tea, and she's grateful. Even more grateful that someone—anyone—is taking the time to even listen to two words out of her mouth. Tara's grateful that someone's talking to her at all. Who knew that conversation could be so fun and lively? She's jealous of how Cordelia can just open up the way she does. She trusts people so quickly and so fiercely. Tara is sure no one had ever spoken to her as truthfully as Cordelia does that night.

By three AM, Tara has a working knowledge of Cordy's life over the past few years. The ups, the downs, and everything in between. Well not everything. Not about vampires. Now Cordy's wondering how she even spoke for that long about her life _without_ mentioning them because ever since Buffy came to town it'd been, "Vampires this," or, "Demons that." Cordelia is happy. For the first time in months she's actually happy, "But now," she said in a more serious tone of voice, "Now she's living in my room, and it'll just be a constant reminder that Xander's still…"

"Well, if you guys have had the history you t-told me about, then I'm sure she isn't happy about this either. I really hope you two can work it out somehow. I'm sorry that y-y-you're going through all this. And on our first d-day. Especially after that summer," Tara's voice is soft, and so kind. _This girl is too nice._

Cordelia smiles wide, she had almost forgotten the feeling, "Well, Tara, thank you for talking to me. I'm going to go to bed now, but next time we have tea, I want you to tell me about you. Deal?"

"Deal," Tara says, _Next time._ Tara thinks, which makes her smile too.

"Good night, Tara."

"Good night, Cordy."

Cordelia walks back up the hall with a bit more spring in her step than she had had on her way down. She had bared her soul, and someone had cared. _College really is different,_ she thinks happily. Maybe she should give this living-with-Buffy thing a chance—maybe. Cordelia is making no promises when it comes to "The Slayer," which Cordelia feels is a moniker all too cool for Miss Buffy Summers.

When she gets back to her room, Buffy's side is cleared out. There's a sheet of paper on her bed that starts "This has all been too much," and talks about stress, and leaving. Cordelia smiles again, but then frowns. Something isn't right about this. The handwriting is clearly not Buffy's. Also, she hadn't even taken her weapons chest with her, which is, like, her favorite thing. _Buffy's in trouble_, Cordy thinks, _And I have to be the one to save her. Who's surpised?_

Cordelia is angry that Buffy had to go and get herself kidnapped, or whatever she's doing, but she's still going to go rescue her, "It's the right thing to do," she says to herself. Cordy grabs her biggest purse and stuffs it full of a crossbow, two stakes, and some holy water that she puts into a bottle with a squirt-top.

The lady at the front desk is less than helpful. She had seen a group of people go by with some stuff, but she was playing solitaire at time, so she didn't see which direction they had gone.

"Thanks anyway," Cordelia says with a smile.

"You looking for a group of people? Carrying a bunch of shit?" asks a sleepy-looking boy who had just woken up on the couch.

"Umm, probably," Cordelia responds, "Know them?"

"No, but I saw them leaving when I got back from the library a few hours ago. I think they were headed out toward west campus. The blonde in the lead was saying something about going back to one of the frat houses."

"Well that's not very helpful.." Cordelia thinks about all the fraternities, which she's had memorized since sophomore year of high school.

"Sorry…"

But then, "No."

"I'm… Not sorry?"

"No wait a minute. Only one of the fraternities has lost its house recently. The vampi—uhh, vandals must be living there," Cordelia decides.

"Sh-should we call the cops?" asks the tired boy.

Cordelia is already walking away, "No, I'll just go ask for my stuff back. We can call someone tomorrow if they're less than helpful.

Cordelia breaks out into a full-blown sprint across campus. When she hadn't been working one of her three jobs that summer, she'd been doing a lot of fitness training. She was in the best shape of her life. It's easy to get work done when no one is around. When she gets to the house a few minutes later—not even close to being out of breath—literally every light is on. _How is no one on this campus suspicious?_ No one is supposed to be living in this house, yet here it is, clearly being lived in. _Buffy got beat by these guys?_ Cordelia asks, not too surprised.

The door is wide open. The grandiose lack of thought these vampires put into their plan is starting to annoy Cordelia, but she doesn't have long to think about that. She can hear a fight in a nearby room. As she rounds a corner, the sound of a bone shattering pierces the air followed by a loud grunt. Buffy's grunt! Cordy pulls the crossbow and the holy water out of her bag, and walks into the next room.

A blonde vampire is on top of Buffy, holding her arm in a way that it shouldn't bend. Cordelia squirts some holy water onto the vampire's head.

"Get off of her," Cordelia can barely hear herself over the girl's screaming.

The vampire looks up at Cordelia with anger, but quickly backs off when she notices the crossbow raised against her.

"Get up, you look like a fish flopping on dry land down there," Cordy commands, extending a hand with a stake in it to Buffy.

"Cordelia, what are you doing here?" asks Buffy as she's helped up.

"Rescuing you, duh."

"No I meant. Okay, later then." Buffy says, now standing upright.

"So, where do you want to start?" _The sound of a crossbow being fired is kind of beautiful_, Cordelia decides as one of the vampire's lackeys decomposes.

Buffy smiles, "Well I'm actually kind of tired," she says while tossing her stake through the air, "Maybe we should just go home," she turns as the vampire who'd had Buffy in her clutches just moments before faded away.

"Sounds good to me."

The girls walk back across campus together with Cordelia carrying most of Buffy's stuff. Buffy feels bad that she can't be much help because of her arm, but Cordelia is sympathetic.

"Will you… when will that be okay?" Cordelia knew that Buffy healed fast, but that crack didn't sound too clean.

After the afternoon they'd had together, Buffy was surprised Cordy was even speaking to her, "Oh, this? It'll probably be fine when I wake up tomorrow."

Cordelia's stomach twinges as she remembers an old injury of her own that had taken a bit more than a few hours to stop hurting.

When they are back in their hall, Cordelia says, "Just because I rescued you, don't think I'm happy with _this,_" she gestures to their room, "But I think it might eventually be kind of fine."

"Uhh, thanks. For coming for me I mean. You might have really been roommate-less if you hadn't," she laughed uncomfortably.

"Don't remind me. And don't expect me to do that again. That was a one-time thing," _This has been my best night in a long time,_ Cordelia thinks.

Through her peephole, Tara sees the girls walking back. Both of them look as if they'd had a crazy night together. Tara felt betrayed. _If she didn't want to keep talking to me she could have just said so. She didn't need to make up some lie just to go to a party._ Tara had thought she'd met a friend, but it turned out to be just another person using her.


End file.
